The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1887-07-22

against me Tor saying that / tumbled to
the racket at once, for that is the truth.
While / swallowed none of the tafy
given me, no sooner saw the police
man at that point with his pipe alight
than I twigged him for pal in dis
guise. [ had been observing things
for two years, mind you, and such an
innovation was not to be passed over.
l explained to the man that it would be
against the rules to admit him, and that
he must see father next day, and after
discussing the matter for awhile he
walked off. Then l gave four knocks on
the door, and father opened it. He was
inclined to ridicule my excitement. but
finally came round to praise my caution.
/ left at about the usual time, and was
glad to find the street deserted. re-
turned to the restaurant at a fast walk,
but no sooner had l reached it than /
wheeled about for the bank. 1t struck
me all at once that the policeman had
caught onto my four knocks, and that
after 1 had gone the pair might seek to
get father to the door by giving them.
l dropped the dishes and started off on
a run, and in three or four minutes was
at the bank. The door was slightly
open, and l jumped right against it
and flung it back. A light was always
left burning, and at a glance 1 saw
that father was down and both men on
top of him. They had his head covered
with cloth, and, though he was call
ing out, his cries could not be heard
ten feet
''The cot was at the left as you en-
tered the bank, and the gun stood at the
foot of it. just the minute ] was in
side Irealized what was going on, and
the first move / made was for the gun.
As seized it and whirled about one Of
the villains, who had been sitting on
fathers legs, reached out foot and
kicked the door shut, and the other
gave father two blows with short iron
bar, and then sprung up and faced me.
Father Strengthened out, seeming to
have been killed by the blows. and the
| sight gave me courage and determine
| ton. When both of the men were on
| their feet the one in uniform COM
manded me to give up the gun. held
it in a way to cover both, hammer up
and finger on the igger, and 1 did not
mean to give it up. For half a minute
after the man spoke there was dead
silence. The light hung from the
ceiling between me and them, and, al
though it was turned down, I could see
the slightest move made by either. The
false policeman picked up a stool,
raised it above his head in a deliberate
way, and said:
"'Boy, put down that gun or I'll
brain your
'''Hold on, Dick, let me shoot him,
whispered the other, and he drew from
his pocket one of the first revolvers ]
had ever seen.
''He had it pointed at me, when Dick
stopped him by saying the report would
| arouse some one. Coward that he was
he dared not advance upon me, but
suddenly flung the stool at my head.
struck the lamp with a great crash,
and in a second we were in darkness.
The glass had not ceased rattling when
blazed away with the gun. It was
| loaded with swan shot, and had put
in whole handful. There were three
or four screams of rage and pain, and
one went to the floor with a heavy
crash, while the other staggered to the
door, opened it and staggered on.
was after him in jiffy. 1t was moon
light outdoor, and l saw him in the
| middle of the street. I ran right for
him, shouting for the police, and as he
turned and saw me / called to him to
halt or l would give him the other bar
rel. Well, sir, / held him right there
until an officer came to take him away,
but must tell you that he had three
or four of the shot in his face and was
badly dazed. When we entered the
bank we found father sitting up and
rubbing his head, and across his feet
was the dead body Of the other crook.
Nearly the whole charge of shot had
struck him in the breast, and he was
dead inside of a minute.
"I'ye got the newspaper accounts
pasted into a scrap book. They made
me out a hero and they praised me
much more than 1 deserved. l told
the story just as it was to the bank
| people, and the result was that / was
put in to watch with father, and we
were there together for the next ten
years. The wounded crook got a SEN
tence to prison, and before he went ne
owned mp like a man to all have told
you. They got father to open the
door by giving four knocks, and they
had him down before he knew what
was up. If left undisturbed, they
would have made a big haul, as the
bank money was easy to get at. Since
week after that night have been a
bank watchman, and, though 1 have
had no other chance to play the hero,
the fact that 1 am kept in my place is
evidence of faithfulness. IN. 4. Sun.